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Lots of questions about wedding garters (and wedding planing in general!) and so little time! I'm back with another advice post in my wedding garter 101 blog series where I answer any and all of your questions about the bridal garter. Today, I am talking about how to know – before you purchase – if your wedding garter will fit you or not.
Knowing if that garter will fit you or not involves knowing what the size actually is of the garter that you are about to purchase. You also need to know where you should measure on your leg to ensure that you wedding garter fits you properly. If you are going to have a wedding garter custom designed for you, or if you are going to try to find a store bought garter that you love will fit you before you purchase it, then these might be a good questions to know the answer to!
Photo Credit: Renee Hollingshead Photography
PLACEMENT
To start, I generally recommend that brides wear their wedding garter just above their knee. (For more on this topic, read this post I wrote about where to wear your wedding garter!) To measure for your garter, take a flexible tape measure and wrap it around your legs where you want to wear it. Give this number to your garter designer or check it with the measurements listed on you garter package. If you don't have a flexible tape measure, you can use a piece of string or a ribbon and wrap it around and then lay it flat onto a ruler to get the sizing.
As I said, I generally recommend wearing your bridal garter just above your knee. This seems to be the most comfortable spot. It isn't so high that it will rub or that it will be hard to find if you are doing the garter toss. But, it isn't so low that it will fall off.
SIZING
Now that you know your size, it is time to match that up with the wedding garter's design itself. If you are having your garter custom designed and hand made, then you can give the measurement number to your designer and they should be able to take care of it from there and be able to make you a custom wedding garter that will fit you properly.
If you are purchasing a wedding garter that is pre-made, the garter will most likely give a stander size. This standard size will usually be a rough estimate for how far the garter will stretch to fit comfortably. For example, The Garter Girl's standard wedding garter size will stretch to fit legs that are 14 inches to 22 inches around. So, if a bride orders a wedding garter from my collection and doesn't tell me her custom size, then the garter will be made in this standard size. Most wedding garters have some sort of standard measurement that they use. Wedding garters are made with elastic (usually! so the fluctuation in the standard size is because of the elastic.
Some wedding garters are adjustable, meaning that the size can change even greater than those with the elastic. Sometimes adjustable wedding garters are made with bows or ribbons that tie in the back or they are made with a system similar to a purse strap that slide up or down. For an adjustable size wedding garter, you should still check to see if there is a standard or recommended size.
The only wedding garter size that is difficult to understand is when it is listed in terms of dress sizes. For example, 4, 8, 10, small, extra-small, plus size and so on. These sizing descriptors are not super helpful only because leg sizes really vary and what would be an extra small to one wedding garter could be a plus size to another garter. When the wedding garter lists dress sizes for the size of the garter, you should try to dig deeper and see if there is a fine print and check to see if there is an inch measurement suggestion, or ask for more clarification or help from the designer.
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For more advice, be sure to check out my wedding garter 101 blog series where I go through lots of different questions and problems related the garter. Remember you can custom design your own wedding garter right here.
